Ghana and South Africa on Sunday imposed travel restrictions on citizens of “high- risk” countries following the outbreak of coronavirus in the two African nations.

Ghana said it had banned arrivals from coronavirus hotspots as the West African nation saw its number of confirmed cases triple to six.

The South African government on its part imposed a travel ban on nationals of the United States and the United Kingdom over the pandemic.

The Ghanaian information ministry said entry would be barred from Tuesday for any non-Ghanaian citizen or resident “who, within the last 14 days, had been to a country that had recorded at least 200 cases.”

“There will be a mandatory 14-day self-quarantine for persons who are otherwise allowed to enter,” the ministry said.

The move came as the authorities reported a rise in the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 from two to six, with the new cases all arrivals from abroad.

The South African ban also extends to Italy, Iran, South Korea, Spain, Germany, and China — countries the former apartheid enclave considered as “high-risk.”

The country had also cancelled visas previously issued to nationals of the “high risk” areas.

READ ALSO: Coronavirus hits Italy hard, as town buries patients every 30 minutes

The South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, said in an address on Sunday, the ban takes effect on March 18.

“We are imposing a travel ban on foreign nationals from high-risk countries such as Italy, Iran, South Korea, Spain, Germany, the United States, the United Kingdom and China as from 18 March 2020,” he said.

“Visa issuing to visitors from these countries is cancelled from today and previously granted visas are hereby revoked.

“Effective immediately, South African citizens are advised to refrain from all forms of travel to or through the European Union, United States, United Kingdom and other identified high-risk countries such as China, Iran, and South Korea.”

Vanguard